Praise Looks Good on You

When my wife gets dolled up for church on Sunday, I often tell her, “That looks good on you”—and I mean it. Once in a great while, though, I’ll look at an outfit and slightly cock my head. Apparently, after years of marriage, that tiny movement speaks fluent English.

“What’s wrong?”

She’ll immediately begin a quick self-inspection while I offer my transparent opinion. It works both ways. If I’m dressed sharply, she’ll tell me. But if I look like I got dressed in the dark, she’ll tell me that too. We notice what looks good, what works, what doesn’t, what is presentable—and what probably needs to be donated to the thrift store.

Psalm 33:1 gives us a wonderful spiritual picture: praise looks good on God’s people. The Bible says praise is comely for the upright. It fits us. It belongs on us.

When a Christian man praises the Lord, gives a hearty “Amen,” or thanks God despite the darkness around him, it’s like wearing a clean, matching spiritual outfit coordinated right down to the soul. But constant grumbling and complaining? That’s like pulling on an old, dirty garment full of holes.

A woman praising God wears something beautiful too—a bright spiritual garment that flows with the moving of the Holy Spirit. Bitterness, misery, and constant complaining simply don’t fit the child of God.

Of course, some days are dark. Hearts get heavy. Circumstances hurt. Surely then we have the right to wear our misery for a while, don’t we?

Not exactly…and Scripture offers something better: “Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3).

Praise doesn’t mean everything is going well for us. It means God is still worthy of highest honor and glory no matter what is happening in life.

So before you walk out the door today, check what you’re wearing spiritually:

Faith? Gratitude? Joy? Praise?

Now that looks good on you, Christian!